Stockton Town boss 'delighted' with battling win at Blyth Spartans

Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott)Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott)
Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott) | Paul Scott
Blyth Spartans fell to a home defeat against Stockton Town on Tuesday night.

Stockton Town manager Michael Dunwell praised his side for battling to a narrow win at Blyth Spartans on Tuesday night.

The Anchors have enjoyed a largely positive first season in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and were sat in the play-off places ahead of their visit to Croft Park. In a surprisingly low-key affair, neither Spartans goalkeeper Ollie Basey or Stockton stopper Nathan Harker were seriously tested as the game appeared to be heading towards a goalless draw.

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Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott)Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott)
Action from Blyth Spartans 0-1 home defeat against Stockton Town (photo Paul Scott) | Paul Scott

However, the introduction of visitors substitute Michael Fowler proved pivotal as the former Dunston UTS striker fired home a stunning long-range effort that proved to be enough for his side to collect all three points and solidify their place in the top five ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Warrington Rylands. Anchors manager Dunwell admitted Spartans had made life difficult throughout the 90 minutes and expressed his delight over a win that keeps his side firmly in the hunt for a play-off spot.

He said: “The main thing tonight was getting the three points and we know it doesn’t matter where you are in this league, at the bottom of the top, it’s always going to be difficult. They will keep going, they’ve got nothing to lose and it was a potential banana skin for us. We probably didn’t think we’d be saying that about Blyth Spartans ahead of the season and I don’t mean that with any disrespect to them because it’s a great non-league football club.

“We are just delighted to get the win here, I don’t think there were many chances and neither keeper had to really make a save but we just keep going and going. We didn’t think we’d be talking about the play-offs with 13 games to go, we had to grind the win out and sometimes those wins are a bit more pleasing.”

Spartans will hope to return to winning ways when they host Leek Town on Saturday.

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